You are here: Home » News »

Alexander on “Devo Plus” for Scotland – and Labour’s candidate problems

March 2, 2012 9:37 am

Tags:

Share this Article

Speaking at Scottish Labour conference today, Douglas Alexander will urge Labour to consider the transfer of further fiscal powers from Westminster to Holyrood. However what Alexander is thought to be proposing is known as “Devo Plus”, rather than the “Devo Max” which the SNP are pushing for as an alternative to Independence. According to the Guardian, Alexander will say today:

“True to our history and alive to contemporary currents, we must be open-minded on how we can improve devolution’s powers, including fiscal powers, but be resolute in our rejection of separation”

Alexander will also tell delegates that Scottish Labour needs to chance, and argues against a “one more heave” strategy, according to the Telegraph, he’ll say:

“One more heave would simply guarantee one more defeat. And then another. And then another…We need to change and change radically, not to disavow our deepest beliefs but to become a better expression of them…We need to change so that people across Scotland who share our values but would not now consider standing as a Labour candidate will change their mind.”

There’s clearly a pointed reference to Labour candidates there, and a suggestion from Alexander that Labour’s current set of candidates in Scotland is lacking something. However many within the Scottish Party would argue that any weakness in Labour’s candidates for Holyrood elections is due in part to a “brain drain” to Westminster – something Alexander himself could be seen as part of.

ovaljason

Some context: YouGov 30th January 2012
This is what the Scots think of Ed Miliband. Cameron’s polling in parentheses.

Ed Miliband is Strong : 2% (16%)
Ed Miliband is Decisive : 9% (20%)
Ed Miliband is Charismatic : 1% (18%)
Ed Miliband is a Natural leader : 3% (14%)
Ed Miliband is Good in a crisis : 2% (12%)

So let’s be clear: An Eaton-educated, fully paid-up member of the Chipping-Norton set is preferred to Ed Miliband in Scotland on every single measure. Not just by little bit. But by a massive margin on every question of personality and leadership.
- AlanGiles
  
  Actually, it’s ETON. I can see you never went to the old school like the rest of us old boy. :-)
  - ovaljason
    
    Thanks for spotting As a core, working-class voter (one of the ones now completely ignored by Labour) I’m not used to writing the names of public schools.
    - AlanGiles
      
      Actually Eton is very over-rated – I went to Harrow myself
      
      (Harrow Road Secondary Modern that is)
      - http://www.facebook.com/roddy.mclean Roddy McLean
        
        Lovely reply. Much appreciated!
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
  
  And who would be their preferred alternative? I wonder how many people on the front bench would actually be recognised at all? The UK government, let alone opposition, gets so little coverage in Scotland now, its not surprising they are remote figures.
  
  The main place of concentration in Scottish politics has become Holyrood and this will mean that unless Labour Scottish politicians start looking towards that as the priority this is likely to continue
treborc

For god sake tell us what your deepest beliefs , we have been asking now for years, what does labour stand for these days.

It’s not social housing you have stated this, it’s not welfare that’s for sure, the NHS is a political tool used when you have nothing else, education you now have taken the view that private education or free schools are OK, some of these may end up being grammar schools again.

You love good banks hate bad banks yet the good banks are hard to find these days, because most of them now belong to the bad banks, good employers well you lot allowed the asset strippers to grow in this country.

So come on tell us so we can make our choices.

This is what we have been asking for what are labour core beliefs, tell us so we can decided whether to stay away give up or join.
- http://twitter.com/gonzozzz dave stone
  
  As far as I can tell there aren’t any core beliefs beyond having, as Ed said today, an “economy that works for every person in our United Kingdom.”
  
  That’s something that everyone in the country will agree with.
  
  Looks like Labour is set for a landslide at the next general election.
  - treborc
    
    Yes buried beneath it.
Alex G

the part about the candidates, which i also saw on tv, is some of the most insulting gibberish i have heard come from the ‘leaders’ of the labour party in a while.

candidates by and large do not lose or win general election seats (though there will be some cases of this), the party does and the quicker the elected members of this party stop blaming the membership for defeat (see tom harris during the leadership campaign blaming members for the unpopularity of the part in a ‘campaign’ email) and start taking some individual responsibility the better.

we did not back tuition fees in 2004, we did not back iraq, we did not back id cards, we did not back foundation hospitals and free schools, we did not back the cosing up to the rich at the expense the labour base.

This is a mess of people like yours ‘wee dougie’ and the quicker you accept this the better for everyone.

p.s. of yeah, before i forget. You was it that was part of the new labour era taking control of selections away from local parties and into the hands of the the central party. You douglas alexander, and now you complain about the standard of candidates, go flocking figure!!!!!!!

and this is from a very disappointed (and or angry) soon to be ex member who will most likely vote green or snp the first chance i get. thanks for everything new labour
markfergusonuk

I don’t think it’s the members who should be offended, so much as the MSPs…
- Alex G
  
  but DA is talking what happens when labour loses elections and candidates that ’cause’ this, thus he is not talking about the ones who actually got elected. What are losing candidates but members at the end of the day anyway?
  
  all this is, is another attempt by the remaining members of blairs new labour to blame the membership for electoral defeat, not accepting blame themselves. for example, from tom harris on the 12th of april 2011
  
  “That means a nationwide search for Scottish champions prepared to stand for election under Labour’s standard. They may be individuals who have never considered politics before but who have the qualities and abilities we need in the Scottish Parliament. If we identify such people – or if they’re brought to our attention by others – and they’re willing to join the Labour Party and undergo candidate training, we can set the standard for a new generation of Scotland’s leaders.”
  
  here he is saying, sorry you members are not good enough for our party. so we will bring in people regardless of political leaning, if we (ie the party) think they are good enough.
  
  and
  
  “Too often, Labour gives into its instinct to blame the electorate for our electoral defeats and we spend the next four years telling the voters that it was they, not us, who got it wrong. And when we do that, we lose again. And deservedly.
  And if it wasn’t the voters who got it wrong, then we blame the leadership. They ignored the wider party, says received wisdom, and produced a manifesto that the grassroots had no say in. An easy excuse, but just that: an excuse, with very little truth to support it.
  The fact is that May 2011 was a rejection, not of a manifesto or of a leadership: but a rejection of our party. A party so set in its ways, so convinced that it – and only it – has the answers to the challenges facing Scotland, that it stopped saying anything interesting or relevant to the Scottish people years before that cataclysmic election defeat six months ago. The seeds of our 2011 defeat were sown years earlier, not in the few weeks of the campaign.”
  
  again, he is trying to absolve the leadership of the party of blame for electoral defeat in effectively saying the membership are wrong and have the wrong ideas.
  
  Please tell me when was the last time the membership had any, and i mean any say in what this party campagins on, between and during elctions (and do not give me some gumph about policy forums.)
Duncanonholiday

I see Lewis MacDonald is overturning one of the few remaining policies from Labour’s disastrous 2011 campaign. Trumpeted as radical thinking when promoted by Iain Gray, a single police force is now too centralising because it is being implemented by the SNP. Clearly, consistency and honesty are no longer Labour values.
JoeDM

I’m all for the Scots going their own sweet way if that’s what they want. But we must not waste any more English & Welsh taxpayers money on buying any sort of devo-crap settlement.
- Alex G
  
  maybe you should try first working out what “devo crap” actually means.
  
  the whole point is scotland would be responsible for raising and spending all of its own money, short of things held to westminster, ie defense costs, foreigh office costs, border control et cetera (though if all tax revenues going to scotland i imagine they might pay for some of this).
  
  this therefore means “English & Welsh taxpayers money” would not spent on anything scottish, surely exactly what you want? (however there would be a need to talk about a federal settlement for the uk to allow english mps to vote on english matters et cetera)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Barker/1546990341 Paul Barker

You wont save your party unless you stop blaming each other & take some responsibility yourselves. All the Ediscrap stuff is beside the point, your choice & your stuck with it.
Maureeny21

Maureen Macleod

Mr Miliband
Yes i know this is a long rant but hey we have to listen to politicians
on a daily basis rant on about crap no body’s interested in so i think
you owe it to us the public to read this…cheers. OK I’m going to
get straight to the point..Do you want to be PM? yes right this is what
to do it’s very simple but then most good ideas are..you need votes you
will get voters if you give them what they NEED not want.It’s is sort of
a 5 point plan simple,don’t say it can be done as we know it can it
just takes someone with a pair of balls to stand up for this country and
bring it back to ‘Great Britain’ do you think your up for that? If you
need any help give me a shout if i can’t help you i know a man who
can..or at least 10,000 man,woman,maybe more.Too many people are losing
children/husbands/wives etc to MURDER every day you read about at
least 1/2 sometime more.I think this could be your turn to shine IF you
listen to the public but like most politicians you will close your eyes
and ears you don’t want to know,now we have the controversy of people
paying to have a meeting with the PM oh my lord how many times has this
happened before and us the gullible public do not hear about
it…Cameron I’m afraid has no scruples at all,his ass should be kicked
right out of No10 In fact just put ‘LARRY THE CAT IN CHARGE’ you would
only need to bribe him with a bit of fish…and he’s got to be better
than what we have now?save you thousands,we the public want you the
politicians to listen to us we wont go away,we will continue to be
heard.I will tell you what most of Britain are not particularly
interested in and when i say this i mean they want you to prioritise. 1)wind turbines 2)ozone layer 3)Human Rights 4)Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: 5)Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Why is Britain’s PM getting involved in all these world affairs…when he CAN’T sort this country out? answers on a postcard… . 1)PM meeting with Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai 2)Prime Minister David Cameron has sent a message to Iranians around the world on the occasion of Norouz – Persian New Year 3)Structural Reform Plan progress updates for each UK Government department. 4)UK in Afghanistan (British Embassy Kabul) 5)PM: discussion focused on European economy and on generating wealth and jobs March 23, 2012 Prime Minister: “We have to tackle the scourge of violence caused by binge drinking. And we have to do it now.”
Is this all he has to worry about? Idiot they will only take more
Valium more out their face,and no recollection of what OR WHO they done
the night before… 5 point plan what we need…to feel safe in our country,our own homes.Get our country sorted!!!!
1)Better justice system IE: murder with intent LIFE not 15/18 yeas LIFE
eath unintentional ie:careless driving,knocking someone over in a
fight,domestic.Personally i think the biggest majority now want the
death penalty introduced it is the only deterrent that will work,things
have gone to far.Go onto pages like Yahoo News Comments that should give
you an idea.. . 2)Prison to be prison so the prisoners don’t
want to go back,I actually know of a few cases where young lads owe
fines, they have no money until the get paid in a fortnight time they
hand themselves in,do 10days get meals, bed ,shower,plasma TV,sky
TV,mobiles,snooker,state of the art gym…then when they get out it’s
off to the unemployment with letter in hand money straight away….and
it’s party time plus he doesn’t owe a fine…BRILLIANT! also the younger
lads go in for 3 months see how cushy it is therefore no qualms about
going back…they don’t care if they stab or kill someone they walk
about in the jail wearing it as a badge…WHY? because they can who’s
going to stop them?.Families get a life sentence their whole life
changes forever,on anti-depressants,tablets to calm you when you have
panic attacks, tablets to help you sleep can’t work,don’t want to talk
to people the list goes does any one in the government know this?we’re
all here in the UK and not one person gives a damn,excuse the language
but it’s how we feel 3)Empty all prison of every luxury, yes it
can be done…basics bed,sink toilet…that’s it 4/6 to a cell locked
up 23 hours a day..IT would surely put the wardens in control again!!
wardens should be given cs spray when the inmates are out for the one
hour CLOSED VISITS no need for searches visitors or inmates,no drugs,no
weapons,no money nothing getting smuggled in,saves time,money energy
Simples . 4)All the money you save from NOT putting mobiles in
prisons,do not even start on Saxophone lessons,aw and lets not forget
the carpets in Perth nick because they are cold…PUT it into NHS..bring
back the ‘MATRON’ in hospitals,domestic staff,waiting times are a
disgrace my little nephew has been waiting for a serious operation for a
year he was born with his intestines on the outside of his body,when i
approached the surgeon i was told they have the bed for him but not the
staff…..we need More staff More cops on the beat NOT less,most of all
we need someone to listen,any idea how many groups that are on fb that
are desperate for the changes above,maybe not all but a good few
thousand members feel this government are letting the public,the voters
down as always… 5)Get immigration sorted NO MORE!!! i do
believe that a lot are here for a safer life for their families,fair
enough it’s the ones that come over claim benefits,council houses or in
some cases a Mansion i mean come on!!! wtf..i had to wait a week and a
half for a doctors appointment,it’s not on.We have
Somalians,Albanians,Romanies,Slovakians,polish,Czechoslovakians..in
Glasgow robbing,raping teenage girls,selling their own children..where
does it end??

Latest

Comment
Why Labour is fighting for the legalisation of Humanist marriages today

By Glenys Thornton

Monday saw the first day of Committee on the Same Sex Marriage Bill, where it became clear after a three hour debate on how to distinguish Same Sex Marriage from so called “traditional” marriage that opposition to this bill has not gone away. Despite a huge defeat on Second Reading, opponents reheated and repeated their earlier speeches, in part because their arguments rely on belief and prejudice not evidence or fact. So we sat until 11pm debating conscience clauses, Registrars [...]
Read more →
Comment
Sometimes what is unsaid at PMQs is the most important thing of all…

By Mark Ferguson

Well that was a bad PMQs for Ed Miliband – the second in a row. Perhaps he hasn’t gotten back into his stride after such a long period without the weekly Wednesday joust, but whatever it is, Miliband isn’t hitting his marks at PMQs. Meanwhile Cameron – who has been jousting with world leaders this week – seemed far more o top of his game than we’ve been used to seeing him lately. Alas the problem for Miliband was that [...]
Read more →
Video
Cameron refuses to answer question on secret government plans to hike interest on student loans

Last week it was revealed that the government discussed secret plans to hike interest on pre-existing student loans, meaning that anyone with a student loan will be expected to pay far more than expected. Today, the Prime Minister was asked about this – he spoke for nearly a minute but wouldn’t answer the question. What does he have to hide? How much more does he expect graduates to pay?
Read more →
Comment
Who benefits? Delivering on energy and infrastructure

By John Woodcock

Across the industrial north, it is striking how old pit villages and industrial towns are proving far less willing to embrace renewable energy than the noisier, more polluting fossil fuels and industries which shaped their identity. Energy companies are getting a nasty shock after mistakenly believing that these communities would not bat an eyelid at a few wind turbines on the surrounding hills because they had been content to make huge slag heaps part of the landscape in decades past. [...]
Read more →
News
Put reckless bankers in jail – Media roundup: June 19th, 2013

Subscribers to our morning email get the best of LabourList – including the Media and blog round up – every weekday morning. If you were a subscriber you would have already received this (and much more) in your inbox. You can sign up here. Put reckless bankers in jail Britain’s banking bosses should face jail if their decisions force fresh bailouts, the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards says today. The commission’s hotly anticipated report urges the Chancellor, George Osborne, to oversee the [...]
Read more →